Dr Leonard Baatiema

Dr Leonard Baatiema is a public health researcher interested in health systems strengthening and non-communication diseases. He is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, as part of the Africa Oxford Visiting Fellowship Programme.   

Leonard is a Lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana. He is a recipient of many prestigious awards, fellowships, and grants, including the Fogarty Global Health Fellowship, the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine Small Grants Scheme Award for Early Career Researchers, and the Belgian Directorate General of Development Cooperation Fellowship for a Certificate Program in Non-Communicable Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp. Leonard is the National Coordinator/PI, Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases, Injury and Poverty Commission, Harvard Medical School, University of Ghana, Ghana Health Service, and Ministry of Health. He is also the Lecturer at the Department of Health Policy, Planning, and Management, University of Ghana.   

Leonard’s research focuses on understanding to what extent the implementation of telehealth (digital health) interventions impact on the scope of practice and capacity of non-physician clinicians (NPC) to deliver high-quality care at primary health care (PHC) facilities in Ghana. His research aims to identify the different health technological tools NPCs use at PHC facilities and explore how and why they are used. It seeks to evaluate the nature and scope of health services provided by NPCs that are impacted by Ghana’s telehealth program. His work will also examine the contextual factors influencing the uptake of telehealth and other health technological (digital) tools for healthcare delivery at PHC facilities in Ghana.   

While at the University of Oxford, Leonard will be working on a research project, “Implementation of Telehealth (digital health) Interventions and the Impact on the Scope of Practice and Capacity of Non-Physician Clinicians at the Primary Healthcare Facilities in Ghana.” The findings of his study are expected to guide future policy decisions and national investments as part of overall health systems strengthening in Ghana.   

• Mensah, N. A., Sanuade, O. A., & Baatiema, L. (2022). Perceptions of community members on contextual factors driving cardiovascular disease behavioural risk in Ghana: a qualitative study. BMC public health, 22(1),
• Koduah, A., Baatiema, L., Kretchy, I. A., Agyepong, I. A., Danso-Appiah, A., de Chavez, A. C., ... & Mirzoev, T. (2022). Powers, engagements and resultant influences over the design and implementation of medicine pricing policies in Ghana. BMJ Global Health, 7(5), e008225.
• Ganle, J. K., Baatiema, L., Ayamah, P., Ofori, C. A. E., Ameyaw, E. K., Seidu, A. A., & Ankomah, A. (2021). Family planning for urban slums in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping review of interventions/service delivery models and their impact. International journal for equity in health, 20(1), 1-15.
• de-Graft Aikins, A; Sanuade, O; Baatiema, L; Asante, P.Y; Agyei, F; Asah-Ayeh, V; Okai, J; OseiTutu, A; Koram A.K.(2021) COVID-19, chronic conditions and multidimensional poverty: assessing the needs of a vulnerable community in Accra, Ghana". Journal of Social and Political Psychology
• Sanuade, O. A., Baatiema, L., Christian, A. K., & Puplampu, P. (2021). Cardiovascular risk factors among patients with human immunodeficiency viral infection at a tertiary hospital in Ghana: a crosssectional study. The Pan African Medical Journal, 38.
• Peer., N., Baatiema., L., & Kengne., P.A. (2021) cardiovascular disease burden in Africa: current challenges and outlook for the future Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
• Mirzoev., T., Koduah., A., Cronin de Chavez., A., Baatiema., L., Danso-Appiah., A., Ensor., T., Agyepong., I., Wright., J., Kretchy., I., King, N. (2021) Implementation of medicines pricing policies in sub-Saharan Africa: protocol for a systematic review" BMJ Open
• Baatiema., L., Sanuade, O., Ganle., K.J., Sumah, A., Baatiema, L., Sumankuuro., L (2020). An ecological approach to understanding stroke experience and access to rehabilitation services in Ghana: a cross-sectional study. Health & Social Care in the Community
• Baatiema., L., de-Graft Aikins., A., Sarfo., F., Abimbola, S., Ganle., J.K., Somerset., S. (2020) Improving the quality of care for people who had a stroke in a low-middle-income country: a qualitative analysis of health care professionals’ perspectives. Health Expectations
• Menyanu E, Baatiema L, Charlton K, et al. (2020). Towards Population Salt Reduction to Control High Blood Pressure in Ghana: A Policy Direction. Curr Dev Nutr. ;4(Suppl 3):naa084. Published 2020
• Boatemaa, K.S., Sanuade, A.O., Baatiema, L., et al. (2020). Non-communicable disease comorbidities in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. South African Medical Journal
• Baatiema., L., Abimbola, S., de-Graft Aikins., A., Damasceno., A., Kengne., P.A., Sarfo., F., Charway., F.A., Somerset., S. (2019). Towards evidence-based policies to strengthen stroke care in low-middle-income countries, Journal of the Neurological Sciences
• Abimbola S, Baatiema L, Bigdeli M. (2019) The impacts of decentralization on health system equity, efficiency and resilience: a realist synthesis of the evidence. Health Policy and Planning
• Sumah A.M., Baatiema L. (2019). Decentralisation and management of human resource for health in the health system of Ghana: a decision space analysis. Int J Health Policy Manag.
• Baatiema, L., Otim, M. E., Mnatzaganian, G., de-Graft Aikins, A., Coombes, J., & Somerset, S. (2017). Health Professionals’ Views on the Barriers and Enablers to Evidence-Based Practice for Acute Stroke Care: A Systematic Review. Implementation Science, 12(1), 74.
• Baatiema, L., de-Graft Aikins, A., Sav, A., Mnatzaganian, G., Chan, C., Somerset, S. (2017). Barriers to evidence-based acute stroke care in Ghana: a qualitative study on the perspectives of stroke care professionals. BMJ Open, 7(4): e015385, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015385